Non-reactive radial line power divider/combiner with integral mode filters

A radial line power combiner for combining applied energy of a circumferential mode m, where the absolute value of m is a value of at least one comprising:

• a radial transmission line comprising first and second electrically conductive plates spaced from each other by less than half of the wavelength of the applied energy in a parallel relation and defining a periphery at which the energy is applied, the first plate comprising port means centrally located therein through which the combined energy is output;
• feed means at said port means for receiving energy in said mode m from the radial transmission line having current flowing therein in lines tangential to a mode cut off circle of m wavelengths in circumference, said current flow lines extending to said circumference from the periphery of said plates, said cut off circle having its center in said port, and for linearly polarizing the received energy;
• and
• at least one slot formed in at least one of said parallel plates, said slot having a longitudinal centerline which is parallel to at least one current flow line of the m circumferential mode energy in said radial transmission line;
• whereby said at least one slot suppresses modes other than m form the energy combined in said port.

A radial line power divider/combiner operating in a circumferential mode m, where the absolute value of m is a value of at least one comprising:

• a first radial transmission line for dividing applied energy comprising first and second electrically conductive plates spaced from each other by less than half of the wavelength of the input energy in a parallel relation, the first plate comprising a first port centrally located therein through which the input energy is applied;
• first feed means at said first port for launching the applied energy in said mode m into the first radial transmission line causing current flow in said first radial transmission line in lines tangential to a mode cut off circle of m wavelengths in circumference, said current flow lines extending from said circumference to the periphery of said plates, said mode cut off circle having its center in said port;
• a second radial transmission line for combining energy comprising third and fourth electrical conductive plates spaced from each other by no more than half the wavelength of the input energy in a parallel relation, the third circular plate comprising a second port centrally located therein through which the combined energy is output;
• second feed means at said second port for receiving and combining energy in said mode m from the second radial transmission line, having current flowing therein in lines tangential to a mode cut off circle of m wavelengths in circumference, said current flow lines extending to said circumference from the periphery of said plates, said mode cut off circle having its center in said second port, and for linearly polarizing the received energy;
• processing means for processing energy received from the first radial transmission line at its periphery and applying the processed energy to the second radial transmission line at its periphery;
• at least one slot formed in at least one of said parallel plates in each of the radial transmission lines, said slots each having longitudinal centerlines which are parallel to at least one current flow line of the m circumferential mode energy in the respective radial transmission line;
• whereby said at least one slot in the first radial transmission line suppresses modes other than m from the energy output of the radial transmission line and the at least one slot in the second radial transmission line suppresses modes other than m from the energy combined at said second port in the second radial transmission line.